Malawi government has recalled its envoys from Kenya, Zambia and Japan and relocating some amidst report that President Peter Mutharika is “absolutely furious” with the fraud at Malawi mission in Addis Ababa and has called for thorough investigations.

Dr Reuben Ngwenya recalled from Japan

The recalled diplomats are former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Perks Ligoya who was serving in Kenya barely a year after being relocated from India. He will be replaced by Reverend Mwanamveka who is redeployed from Japan embassy where he is working as first secretary.

Also recalled is David Bandawe, the Malawi envoy in Zambia and Brigadier Reuben Ngwenya from Japan.

Malawi government has also recalled and suspended Deputy Ambassador Doreen Kapanga and first secretary (administration) Fletcher Chowe from Ethiopia mission for allegedly attempting to siphon $30 000 (about K20 million) through a cheque written in the First Secretary’s name.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Francis Kasaila confirmed the development.

He said President Mutharika is “absolutely furious” with fraud in embassies.

Ligoya: On recall

The President has also directed Chief Secretary to government George Mkondiwa to ensure state protection of auditors carrying their work in missions in Addis Ababa which represent Malawi in Ethiopia and the African Union (AU) and others, according to Kasaila.

The Auditor General (AG) has confirmed that Malawi’s foreign missions are undergoing audits which the office has not been able to do on an annual basis.

This follows revelations by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that it has formulated an audit plan for its missions whose audit reports have not seen the light of day.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Principal Secretary Dalitso Kabambe said there were ongoing audits at the Brussels mission in Belgium and the mission in Germany.

“We are processing audits for New York, Harare, South Africa, Nairobi and Maputo. In the end all embassies will be audited as mandated by the Public Audit Act,” he said.

Ambassador Mhura posing with US President Barak Obama – File Photo

National Audit Office (NAO) has committed to audit five embassies a year, but due to lack of funds, only one embassy will be audited as soon as funds are made available.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has instituted reforms in Malawi’s missions abroad which includes reducing the number of diplomats in established positions from 234 to 152 and established an appraisal system to apply to local and Malawi staff.

Government has since recalled 82 diplomats from the country’s foreign missions and plans to reduce the number further by the end of June next year.

Recently, government also redeployed diplomats Necton Mhura, Edward Sawerengera and Brian Bowler from New York at the UN and Brazil respectively less than two years being in office.

Critics questioned the wisdom of replacing Necton Mhura from Washington who was just beginning to settle down to his post. They also question the wisdom of the Mutharika administration and the little regard it has shown to date to the most important mission posting in the world.

They also question the wisdom of posting Sawerengera to the most visible and demanding mission in the whole world, New York at the UN with reports that his wife Maggie Mbilizi has been pushing for his redeployment to Washington DC.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Spokesperson Rejoice Shumba rejected that the diplomat redeployment were staged to appease a nagging wife, saying the move was a normal relocation.

Ambassador Bowler has been moved to Brazil to take position of Sawerengera who has been moved to Washington and ambassador Mhura has been moved to New York.

“Government would always make such changes when it sees it fit and necessary for enhancing public service delivery”, said Shumba.

There are 19 Malawi foreign missions of which eight are in Africa, four in Europe, five in Asia in addition to the United Nations mission in New York, United States of America.

Peter,it is you and your wicked brother who opened the door for corruption.It is a crime for others,but it is a right for you and your late brother to play around with public funds? You started this obnoxious game and now you are joined by your friends in Zambia,Ethiopia,Kenya and Japan.What is the use of shouting like a hyena or a deranged man? Suffice to say that you are trying to shade a crocodile tears.All Malawians acknowledge the fact that you and your brother led our once respected nation in Africa into this quagmire which will eventually decimate its road to it’s fine reputation.Mind you,it is easy to dismantle,but it is not easy to rebuild.It is now officially confirmed that Malawi tops the most poorest nations on our planet.There is no cure for that apart from you to step down from the leadership saddle.Right now you are totally confused and out of steam that you have turned our nation FREE FOR ALL,it is sad and shameful.PLEASE GOD INTERFERE,AMEN!!!!

I applaud the president for acting swiftly on this matter as it is really annoying.
“Well done Mr President”. There are things that citizenry will be critical about – equally there are things that it will appreciate and one of those things is this.

Za Alomwe izi ife zisatikhuze tizingopeleka misonkho. Ligoya once worked at the IMF country office in Lilongwe. I thought he had some integrity despite being a drunkard. But nay! So, who will serve Malawi if even the educated ones are useless?

It is preposterous to say embassy posts should be advertised. Why? Are embassies not part of Ministry of Foreign Affairs where at least 70 percent of diplomats should come from? The rest can indeed be appointed on polical basis by the President. The rest will come from other ministries, including tourism, trade and information. Kodi diplomacy mumadziwa kuti ndi career? Just because anthu amakakhala kunja you think everyone needs to apply. If you want to go ku Embassy, the normal route is to be a civil servant or a political appointee chisen as part of the ruling party’s,appeasement policy. Its irritating to say the least how every Malawian believes they should go ku Embassy. Mukatani?

Kaudza Masina walakwa chiyani? Ngati enanu mukunjoya and not using your sour brains dont cook stories. In other countries they have a diplomatic service as a career which is good. Most of the money is stolen from headquarters and not embassies. In any case who, in Malawi, is not a thief? Only the dead. Just find out what Kaupa, Chisale, kaimvi and Fombe are doing at Central Medical Stores. Actually DPP gurus are involved. Koma abale a Fombe kuchita kukapereka LPO kwa mwenye just to get some money. Ndiye tikumanama kuti mankhwala akubedwa when they are not delivered in the specified quantities.

What I have learned from all these scandals thefts is that we Malawians have a very big problem. However, the fact is that God loves Malawi so much so that the Almighty gave us this rich and beautiful country but since very very few notice or are in agreement to this, we move like blind creatures yet with eyes open thinking that we see. All of us are to blame for our failure to realize that we are a very blind, ignorant and indeed very unpatriotic to our one and only Mother Malawi. May be we need a revolution to turn things around. KODI VUTO LATHU NDI CHANI AMALAWI. Akatswiri achulukilenji koma ukatswenthewo osanetsa. Kodi titchuke ndikuba basi! Our leaders are busy politiking, the citizens are besy destrofoying the very foundations of of our economy. Ndipotu paliponse mpowola: I mean , even in church. But Solomon, the most richest and wisest in Biblical terms concludeded that “All is vanity. Kodi atsogoleli athunu mulibe chisoni. Nanga mukamayenda m’maiko osiyana siyana…Ndinenatu inu mumayendanu, inu akatswiri aukachenjede, amipingo, maloya, apolisi, a bizizinezi ndi ena tonse tilibe manyazi kodi. Kodi ana athu tikuwakonzela tsogolo lotani. TATIYENI ALIYENSE PAYEKHA PAYEKHA ..MOWOPA MULUNGU TIKHALE WOKONDA DZIKO LATHU, WOTHANDIZANA MOKONDANA KUCHOKERA PANSI PAMTIMA< WOLEMEKEZANA there after let us see what GOD can do for us. NDINE WOKHUMUDWA ZEDI and helpless indeed. NDIZOONA KUTI DZIKO LATHU LILI MMANJA MWA AGALU!!!

Bwana a PS Kabambe; muyang’anenso ku South Africa. There is an accountant, Mrs Kaudza Masina. Sukulu alibe koma walemela moopsya chifukwa cha cashgate. She works with Kaipa at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. she has overstayed at the embassy, more than the ambassadors themselves. A real thief. Your auditors should investigate her together with Kaipa. On the changes, I am happy with all of them. DPP woyee! enawa akuononga dzina la chipani.

Doreen Chavura (Kapanga) kuba sudzasiya? I remember when we were students unaba Mk50 ya mesho wako. Mpaka lero ukubabe. Manyazi mayi inu. Ndiyw wa Police koma wokuba. that si why there is lots of crime in this country. You have a gang of thieves.

Most Heads of missions ignore established financial controls as they are answerable to no one in these Embassies. They become thieves and collude with Accountants. The Justice Ministry should consider introducing stiffer sentences of at least fifteen years IHL for those who commit FINANCIAL TREASON in the embassies

These positions should be advertised so that diplomats should know the importance of being in the embassy. Za manyazi bwanji. Both Chowe and Kapanga have been in the embassy less than 3 years imagine. The whole world, Malawi is leading in cashgates, people are trying their best to get rich fast forgetting how poor the country is. Dont we have strict measures to overcome this? And yet govt pays school fees, free housing and guard. Expensive houses that even themselves cant afford to pay. Ena amatenga ana a neba to be paid by the government….shame. So ask ourselves, which government and which resources? What other countries does is that, the children should be biological ones and evidenced.